The present invention concerns an aircraft seat arrangement. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns an aircraft seat arrangement including a table for use by a seated passenger. The invention also concerns methods of stowing, deploying and/or using such a table.
Seat arrangements of the prior art typically include a table of some form for use by a seated passenger. Economy seats typically have a table hingedly fixed to a seat for use by the passenger seated in the seat behind. The table may be swung, by rotational movement, from a stowed position in which the table is positioned substantially flat against the back of the seat, to a deployed position in which the table is positioned in a horizontal position so as to present an area of useable table space. Such an arrangement is typically unsuitable for use in a premium-class seat (such as business or first class seats), where the pitch of the seats is such that mounting a hinged table on the seat in front of, or the structure in front of, the seated passenger would not satisfy the ergonomic requirements of the position of the table when deployed relative to the position of the passenger when seated; the area of useable table space table would be too far away from the passenger for easy use. Also, there may be provided an in-flight entertainment (IFE) monitor in or on the back of a seat for viewing by the passenger seated in the seat behind. There is then competition for space and position as between the monitor and the table and its deployment mechanism. A solution to the problem is to provide a table that deploys from a position adjacent to the seat, for example from within an arm-rest. Such tables typically have a complicated mechanism associated with the table to enable the table to be lifted out of the arm-rest and then rotated into a usable position. The tables typically fold out, but do not provide any great flexibility in use as a result of their foldable nature.
The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned problems. Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved table for an aircraft or method of using a table in an aircraft. Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved aircraft seat assembly including a table.